Understanding and Meeting the Needs of LGBT Elders

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) will join experts in the field to announce new legislation to meet the unique needs of older LGBT Americans and discuss a new report by Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE) and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP)

Scheduled for April 28 at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, the event will feature Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who will discuss new legislation that seeks to improve the lives of LGBT elders nationwide.

According to the new report, Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults, aging LGBT baby boomers are the first generation of LGBT people who have lived openly LGBT lives in large numbers -- a trend that creates profound challenges for an increasingly larger population of out LGBT older adults.

While most Americans face challenges as they age, LGBT elders have the added burden of a lifetime of stigma; familial relationships that lack recognition under the law; and unequal treatment under laws, programs and services designed to support and protect older Americans. Further, the lack of financial security, good health and healthcare, and social and community support is a fearful reality for a disproportionate number of LGBT older adults.

For Michael Adams, executive director at Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (SAGE), the report represents an opportunity to join with leaders in the aging field to spotlight the dramatic inequities facing LGBT older people and how policies can begin remedying them.

"'Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults' provides a much-needed roadmap for policymakers who want to ensure that all older adults live a full life where they age with dignity and purpose. It begins a much larger conversation about the various policies that could enhance our lives and our communities, " said Adams.

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) will discuss legislation to help address these disparities, while experts in the field will share the latest research and policy analysis.

Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults was released by Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (SAGE) and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), in partnership with the American Society on Aging, the Center for American Progress, and the National Senior Citizens Law Center.

To learn more about SAGE, and to view the full report and snapshot, please visit www.sageusa.org.

Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBT older adults and their caregivers, advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT older people, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBT organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, and cultural competence training through SAGECare. With offices in New York City, Washington, DC and Chicago, SAGE coordinates a growing network of 30 SAGE affiliates in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Learn more at sageusa.org and lgbtagingcenter.org.